July 30, 2009

Recently a bride came to us with a very specific vision for her wedding. Having decided to get married on the grounds of an old dairy farm in North Carolina she knew she wanted the vibe to be, in her words, 'bohemian farmhouse chic'. We were instantly obsessed with the possibilities! We knew we just had to help her make that vision come to life. While we can't show you the finished invites just yet (she hasn't even seen the final pieces!) we can share some of what helped inspire us and eventually lead us to the final design.

July 28, 2009

Funny how you just never get sick of a bride with poppy lips or a pair of funky pumps peeking out from under a Monique Lhuillier gown. Subtle or saturated, color speaks so much about the tone you want to set for your day, and hardly any hue packs a punch like red. From from playful to arty to sultry to glam, touches of red make a statement at any time of year.

July 23, 2009

It is no secret we here at Giddy Ink love couples with a unique style and a desire to make a statement. This bride and groom definitely fit that bill! Check out this video of their own take on the wedding processional. Even if you are a wedding 'traditionalist', how can you not smile watching everyone, even the guests, have so much fun? Enjoy and happy Friday!

July 17, 2009

Part of custom-designing wedding invitations that we love is the ability to tailor its wording to perfectly suit the couple, the venue, the right involvement of their parents and the vibe they're trying to achieve for the wedding. In your quest for the perfect words, we encourage you to keep it simple and not too wordy. Casual, down-to-earth or formal, the right words help guests know just what to expect and even how to dress for your big day.

More and more, we're meeting couples who understand and take advantage of this opportunity to express themselves perfectly, and we're here to help. Here are a few samples we like, but we can alter any or create something new to fit your unique situation. And of course, rules can definitely be broken tastefully to make everyone involved feel comfortable.

1. Bride's Parent Hosting—Formal (Religious Venue)Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Goodmanrequest the honor of your presenceat the marriage of their daughterJennifer Ann to John Lucas O'brienSaturday, the seventh of Novembertwo thousand and nineat half past four in the afternoonSaint Mary's Cathedral2157 Erie AvenueCincinnati, OhioReception to follow.

2. Bride's Parent Hosting—Informal (Secular Venue)Thomas and Anne Goodmaninvite you to the wedding of their daughterJennifer Ann to John Lucas O'brienSaturday, the eleventh of Maytwo thousand and nineat half past four in the afternoonCrystal PlazaLivingston, New JerseyDinner and dancing to follow

3. Both Sets of Parents Hosting—Formal (Secular Venue)Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Goodman &Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Richard Flaniganrequest the pleasure of your companyat the marriage of their childrenJennifer Ann and John LucasSaturday, the seventh of Novembertwo thousand and nineat half past five in the afternoonHilton Netherlands PlazaCincinnati, OhioDinner and dancing to follow

4. Both Sets of Parents Hosting—Casual (Religious Venue)Thomas and Anne Goodman &Christopher and Sally O'brieninvite you to the wedding of their childrenJennifer Kelly to Eric Lucas O'brienSaturday, May 17, 2008at 4:30 in the afternoonGrace United Methodist Church5784 South Fourth StreetDayton, OhioDinner reception to follow

5. Both Sets of Parents Hosting—Casual (Secular Venue)Love was meant to be sharedwith parents, family and friends.Sally Ann Smith and John Lee Jonestogether with their parentsRobert and Linda Smith and Richard and Jane Jonesinvite you to share in their wedding celebrationSaturday, the nineteenth of Augusttwo thousand and nineat half past five in the eveningThe Millenium Hotel12345 Main StreetCincinnati, OhioDinner and dancing to follow.

7. Couple Hosting—Casual (Religious Venue)The pleasure of your companyis requested at the marriage ofJennifer Ann Goodman to John Eric JacobsonSaturday, the seventeenth of Maytwo thousand and nineat five o'clock in the afternoonThe Chapel at Oneonta5784 Ridgeview AvenueBellevue, KentuckyThe celebration continues at the Garden Room at Oneonta.

8. Couple Hosting—Casual (Secular Venue)You are invited to a celebrationof the beginning of our new life togetheras Jennifer Kelly Hudsonand Eric Lucas Fitzgeraldare united as husband and wifeSaturday, the eleventh of Novembertwo thousand and nineat half past four in the afternoonThe Twentieth Century TheatreCincinnati, OhioDinner and dancing to follow

10. Everyone Hosting—Casual (Secular Venue)Jennifer Ann Goodman &John Lucas O'brientogether with their parentsinvite you to share in the joyof their wedding daySaturday, the seventh of Novemebertwo thousand and nineat half past four in the afternoonMariemont InnChicago, IllinoisDinner and merriment to follow

July 14, 2009

In our quest to give our brides something truly new for their day, we try to keep our designs just a bit ahead of the trends. One way we study what should come next is by watching the runway to see what the dresses, makeup, hair and accessories are up to. Surprisingly, all of these shapes and styles affect invitations; it's part of how we create a holistic look. Today, I'm exploring trends in the fashion metropolis, Paris, and I just discovered an event artist by the name of Kim Petyt.

Kim is an American wedding planner in Paris and owner of Parisian Events. She has some trend speculations on the horizon that might surprise you. For example, the black wedding dress! That's right, couture designers like Max Chaoul and Creations Bochet are creating multiple black dress in their upcoming collections. Will American brides ever go for it?

And in true, high-glamour Parisian form form, check out these chignons Kim predicts will be adding lots of drama to Parisian weddings in 2009-10. Stylists like J Bogatti and Claude Maxime Mondial are certainly paving the way for looks I've never seen before on a bride. In Kim's words "These are not your mama's up-dos."

July 8, 2009

When our good friend, Chris Bokelman, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a few years back we had no doubt that if anyone could face this disease head on it would be him. So it comes as no surprise that in just a few short years he has managed to rally hundreds of his friends, family, and coworkers to join The National Multiple Sclerosis Society's fight to find a cure for MS.

Through his participation in the Annual MS 150 Bike Ride, he formed Team Handlebars, a colorful reference to not only the bikes but also the mustaches the male team members sport for the race. Every year the team raises thousands of dollars and never fails to be one of the most fun and colorful teams at the event.

Recently Chris asked Giddy Ink to design the poster for The Third Annual Handlebars Cornhole Tournament. The event is August 1, 2009 and is being held at The Sandbar in Cincinnati. The night will surely be a great time for a great cause and we're so honored to be a part of it.

July 6, 2009

Tracy Abston of Pictures by Tracy in Dayton posted a terrific blog post about Giddy over the weekend sharing some kind words as well as some gorgeous shots of our work she took at a recent wedding we did together. We had so much fun bringing this the couple (Shanon and Troy)'s vision to life. It's an added bonus to see images of the final product captured so eloquently on the day of. Thank you so much, Tracy!

Well, Hello.

We are Giddy Ink. We are passionate about design and correspondence and creating things that look like they matter. This is where we come to share some of the lovely things and people that we encounter and are inspired by. Hope you'll stop by often.